What is Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu?

Judo is the mother art of Jiu-Jitsu. The Judo style was adapted in Brazil by the Gracie family, which then evolved into a much softer style that now concentrates much more on the groundwork elements of the art.

Jiu-Jitsu translates into the gentle art. It’s a style that promotes the concepts of using the power, strength and momentum of your opponent against themrather than solely your own strength and power. For this reason, Jiu-Jitsu is a perfect art for the much smaller grappler. The majority of the grappling is done on the ground where you will try to dominate your opponent with a pin or hold down, before submitting them with a joint lock or choke. The tap system in BJJ allows you to train your chokes and jointlocks on your opponent with out harming them in any way as they simply tap you or the ground to let you know that the submission has been applied effectively and you can now let go of the submission and begin another practice spar.